Wednesday, 25 March 2015

Crammed with lift-up flaps, this
slight, but cheerful, picture book follows the hero of the title plus his
friends on their journey to school. The classroom project today is to find out
about bugs, otherwise known, at least in the country, as insects. Some vigorous
sketching follows until it is time to play and finally return home.
Illustrations throughout are bright and friendly and the minimal accompanying
story is particularly suitable for infants at the very early stages of
understanding.

Nicholas Tucker

The Zebra Who Ran Too Fast

Written and illustrated by Jenni
Desmond

Walker£11.99

ISBN: 978-1406347500

Zebra
loves his two best friends, Elephant and Bird. They enjoy laughing and playing
games together, but, one day, the other two get cross because Zebra is too
bouncy and too fast. They say he makes them dizzy. Zebra is heartbroken even
though a new friend, Giraffe, is kind to him.Can he find a way to patch things up with Elephant and Bird?Expressive illustrations with a gentle humour
of their own make this simple story about coping with the stresses within a
friendship group an excellent choice for younger readers.

Marianne Adey

Rex Wrecks It

Written and illustrated by Ben Clanton

Candlewick£10.99

ISBN 978-1406358230

Three little toy friends like to
build things out of bricks, but their friend, Rex the dinosaur, just likes
knocking them down. Everyone is sad, including Rex, who is sorry, but a bright
idea from Gizmo, the robot, means they all find out that working (and wrecking)
together is much more fun. This lovely warm message of friendship and togetherness
in the face of a familiar problem will be of great encouragement to boisterous
toddlers and help them begin to understand their world. A great book for
sharing with lots of scope for young readers to expend energy and noise as they
join in the repeated text. Dynamic and bold illustrations have plenty of colour
and movement, and the clear facial expressions will help young readers
understand how the toys feel at different points in the story. Highly
recommended.

Lucy Russell

First Steps in reading for young children

On the day you were
born

Written by Margaret Wild

Illustrated by Ron Brooks

Allen & Unwin £10.99

ISBN: 978-1741147544

A father recounts to his child
what happened when they went outside together for the very first time on the
day the baby was born. We do not see the father or the child, but the images of
that first day are portrayed in glorious, full colour illustrations and text
that is written in soft, gentle prose, conveying the awe and quiet moments of
shared joy that accompany the birth of a much-wanted child.

Yvonne Coppard

The Not-So-Perfect Penguin

Written and illustrated by Steve
Smallman

QED£4.99

ISBN: 978-1781711347

The Not-So-Perfect Penguin is an engaging way for parents to
introduce children to the impact of different types of behaviour. Percy is a
fun-loving penguin. His peers are all serious and sensible, whereas Percy likes
to have fun: sliding on his tummy rather than waddling along like the others,
jumping and splashing rather than swimming peacefully. The other penguins are
constantly moaning and telling him off, but, when Percy disappears one day, the
group realise how much they miss him. Children will love Steve Smallman’s
gorgeous illustrations of the cute penguins in the latest book in the
‘Storytime’ series. As with the other books in this collection, the colourful
full-page illustrations and heart-warming story are subtly combined with a more
serious message: here, being aware of the consequences of your actions, as
sometimes what you think is just fun can cause upset and worry for others. The
final page of the book contains suggested questions for parents to use to
generate discussion with their children about behaviour. This is a gentle, but
fun story with an important message sensitively told.

Jane Hall

The
Greedy Rainbow

Written
by Susan Chandler

Illustrated
by Sanja Rescek

QED£10.99

ISBN:
978-1781715765

The natural world is full of glorious colours
and they are there for everyone to enjoy. In this charming story for very young
book lovers a tiny rainbow gobbles up all the colour from the forest and as it
grows bigger and bigger the forest gets greyer and greyer. Eventually all the
colour has gone from the rainforest leaving the animals and plants completely
grey and very sad. Once the rainbow realises that it has been selfish, that the
forest is no longer beautiful and that it has made everyone unhappy it starts
to cry and the colours pour back into the forest. But, amusingly, things aren’t
quite as they were before. Lots of books for small children are about colour,
but this beautifully illustrated story also highlights the importance and pleasure
of sharing. The book includes a page of suggested discussion points for
teachers and parents, just in case a teacher or a parent finds it tricky to
talk about the book and its theme.

Jan Lennon

Titles for the young
child just beginning to Read Alone

The Selkie Girl

Retold by Janis Mackay

Illustrated by Ruchi Mhasane

Kelpies£5.99

ISBN: 978-1782501305

A beautiful retelling of a
traditional Scottish tale for a young audience. Fergus lives with his father, a
poor fisherman. and spends his lonely days beachcombing. One day he finds a
wonderful treasure - a seal skin. Fergus does not realise he has taken a Selkie
girl’s skin, without which she cannot return to the sea and to her mother. Once
she reveals herself, they become firm friends, playing and catching fish.
Fergus longs for her to remain with him, but the Selkie girl must return to the
sea. A poignant parting ensues, but the Selkie girl continues to watch over
Fergus from the sea, and increases the catch of fish, improving the fortunes
and happiness of the whole village. Stunning watercolour illustrations fill the
pages, echoing the tenderness of the story, and drawing the reader into the
beautiful Scottish coastal landscape. Every word of the text has been carefully
chosen: Janis Mackay works as a storyteller as well as an author and her talent
is clear. A superb book.

Lucy Russell

Titles for the Confident Reader in Primary School

Maisie Hitchins: The
Case of the Secret Tunnel

Written by Holly Webb

Illustrated by Marion Lindsay

Stripes (eB)£5.99

ISBN: 978-1847154361

Holly Webb's Victorian detective
series is perfect for those younger readers who are starting to build their
reading confidence. In this fifth mystery in the series, Maisie and her dog
Eddie are on the case of the suspicious lodger who has just moved into her
Gran's house. Something is just not right about Mr Grange, as he says that he
works for a biscuit factory but when Maisie questions him about his favourite
biscuit, his answer shows that he must be lying! Not only that but there are
other strange occurrences involving missing laundry from washing lines, stolen
paintings and very odd behaviour in the London Underground. Can Maisie find the
link between these crimes and solve the mystery herself or will she end up in
too deep when she realises there are serious criminals at work? Maisie is an
endearing, confident character and the lovely illustrations work beautifully
well with the plot, helping the reader to notice the clues along the way.

Nicole Jordan

Willy’s Stories

Written & illustrated by
Anthony Browne

Walker£12.99

ISBN: 978-1406351613

Thirty years
after the publication of Willy the Wimp
Anthony Browne pays tribute to the writers and illustrators who have inspired
his own work over the years by enabling his iconic hero to enter the fictional
worlds of ten classic stories and play a role. The compelling shine of the book
jacket draws the reader through marbled end papers and into Willy’s
frontispiece smile. He holds a book, bearing the title Willy’s Stories, the cover of which replicates the familiar
fair-isle pattern of his jersey. This motif is used to highlight the initial
letter of each verso text page. That sense of pattern that characterises
Anthony Browne’s work amply fulfils reader expectations in this book. Each
adventure begins with Willy going ‘through the door’ into his story world. Each
places Willy in some kind of confrontation or challenge before inviting young readers
to play the game of ‘What happens next?’. Each of the illustrated recto plates
has some visual reference to books whether they form the trunk of a Crusoe
tree, fly as gulls, become a Kansas
home or construct Rapunzel’s tower. Every Anthony Browne hallmark is here:
anthropomorphic woodlands, Magritte skies, gloriously incongruous
transformations. A triumph of a Willy-celebration!

Catriona Nicholson

Titles for readers Moving On from Primary to High School

The Vanishing of
Billy Buckle

Written by Sally Gardner

Illustrated by David Roberts

Orion (eB)£5.99

ISBN: 978-1444003741

Another fabulous story about the
Fairy Detective Agency, who appeared in the books Operation Bunny and Three
Pickled Herrings. The Giant, Billy Buckle has disappeared. He went away for
the weekend, leaving his six year old daughter, Primrose, in the safe-keeping
of the Agency. However, Billy did not reappear and Emily and Co were not only
concerned about him, but were also anxious because Primrose was growing very
fast indeed, so much so that she was threatening to shoot through the roof. The
search for Billy leads the team to the seaside and involves them in the theft
of a diamond, a murder and a talent show! The pace is fast and furious and the
plot quite complex, making for gripping reading. There is never a dull moment -
the next crisis is just around the corner!

Patricia Thompson

Nightmares! 368

Written by Jason Segel and
Kirsten Miller

Doubleday (eB)£9.99

ISBN: 978-085753555

Nightmares! The debut novel from actor Jason Segel, of The Muppet Movie, and Kirsten Miller is
actually a dream to read. Charlie Laird’s widowed father has recently remarried
and Charlie hates his new stepmother. Not only because he resents her trying to
take his Mum’s place, but because they have moved into her house - a huge
purple mansion at the edge of town. Since moving there Charlie has had
nightmares, and now the nightmares are beginning to invade his waking life too.
It is up to Charlie to stop them before they take over forever. Nightmares! is an impressive start to a
proposed trilogy, although it does read as a stand-alone novel too. The
nightmares in the book may be familiar to young readers - fear of the dark and
worries about exams. At times, the story is quite scary, especially President Fear
and his goblin followers. The scares are balanced though by some lighter
moments with other Netherworld characters, such as gorgons and clowns, who
believe that they are there “to help children face their fears” and that once
they have achieved this, the nightmares will retire to Dreamworld. This
exciting fantasy adventure is ideal for confident readers.

Jane Hall

MutantCity

Written by Steve Feasey

Bloomsbury
(eB)£6.99

ISBN: 978-1408843031

Mutant City, the first of
a thrilling new adventure series, is ideal for young fans of the X-Men. It
begins with the destruction of a secret experimental facility, and the covert
escape of its five residents - children created with super-powers. Jump forward
thirteen years and the world is divided between the privileged ‘pure’ and the
abused ‘mutants’. The existence of the mutant children has been discovered by
President Melk – their creator, and the battle begins between those who want to
keep the children safe, and those who want to use their powers for their own
benefit. This action packed tale moves along at a swift pace, but never at the
expense of the plot or character development. Although aimed at a young teen
audience, the premise is quite dark: mutant children created to be used and
disposed of by the rich and powerful. The chapters focus on different
characters so the reader gradually gets to know each one a little more. Rush
and Brick are the main focus of this book and their relationship is strong and
loyal. No doubt other characters will be developed more in future books.
President Melk is pure evil. A thrilling read.

Jane Hall

Titles for Young Teenage Readers

Opal
Plumstead

Written
by Jacqueline Wilson

Illustrated
by Nick Sharratt

Doubleday
(eB)£12 .99

ISBN:
978-0857531094

There are always legions of fans waiting avidly
for the next Jacqueline Wilson novel and here comes number 100! We are taken
back to 1913. Women are starting to demand the right to vote, trade unions are
gaining power in the work place and World War One is not far away. Initially,
Opal is not aware of any of this. She is busy coming top in everything at
school and hoping to go on to university, but these dreams are shattered when
her father is jailed for embezzlement and she has to leave school and start
work at the sweet factory. Here she learns, among many other things, that
bullying is not confined to the schoolyard and that the class system still
holds firm.Opal’s family find it a
struggle to make ends meet and retain their standard of living, but Opal is an
intelligent and spirited young lady who is determined to make the best of the
situation. Jacqueline Wilson uses her usual deceptively light touch to tackle
some weighty topics and make them accessible to her young teen readers.

Jan Lennon

The
Piper

Written
by Danny Weston

Andersen
(eB)£6.99

ISBN:
978-1783440511

In this wonderfully dramatic story supernatural
forces are at work on Romney March. At the beginning of World War II Peter and
Daisy are evacuated from Dagenham to a remote farmhouse inhabited by an elderly
gentleman, his invalid daughter and their devoted housekeeper. The marshland around
the house is treacherous as paths are difficult to follow so the children are
told not to go out alone. Each night they hear music that Daisy feels compelled
to follow, but inexplicably their new guardians claim not to hear it. On a rare
trip away from the house Peter hears the story of the piper and his thirst for
revenge. He realises that his sister is in great danger and there is very
little time to prevent yet another tragedy happening on the marsh. Danny
Weston’s debut novel is an exciting and atmospheric tale with ghostly dancers
and mysterious music interwoven with real locations and historical events.
There is also an ancient curse and a cast of strangely remote adult characters
living in an eerie isolated house, so this has all the ingredients of an
enjoyably scary read.

Jan Lennon

Skulduggery Pleasant: Armageddon Outta Here

Written by Derek Landy

HarperCollins (eB)£14.99

ISBN: 978-0007559534

Armageddon Outta Here (even Derek Landy admits he can’t believe
they let him use this title) is not for those new to the world of Skulduggery
Pleasant, but is a must read for those legions of fans eagerly awaiting the
final book in the series. It is a collection of short stories previously
available from websites, bonuses previously in earlier titles, the World Book
Day novella The End of the World, some
new short stories, plus a sneak peak at that final book The Dying of the Light. The book opens with a story set in1861 in
South Dakota and follows The Dead Men pursuing a character that fans will know
well. This warns the reader that this is no ordinary Skulduggery book. It leaps
across the years telling tales of adventures between the novels, but a useful
timeline helps place the tales in context. My personal favourite is Get thee Behind Me, Bubba Moon, a ghost
story that would not be out of place in a Stephen King collection. My advice,
if you are a fan don’t miss this book, if not get this book and the first
Skulduggery Pleasant book and join in the fun.

Trevor Hall

Buffalo Soldier

Written by Tanya Landman

Walker (eB)£7.99

ISBN: 978-1406314595

This book, of very wide ranging
themes, basically tells the story of a young female slave, liberated by the
American Civil War, who pretends to be a boy and joins the army. This may seem
an unlikely scenario, but it is actually based on a true story. Alongside this
basic plot, the book explores in some depth, the treatment of freed slaves, the
pursuit of the Native American population and the management of the problems
that they allegedly create. It also exposes in some detail the role of the
Army, the Government, and the corrupt Indian agents in the treatment of the
various tribal groups. It does not make for comfortable reading, but, it is
brilliantly written! The text is a narrative by Charlotte/Charley and the book
is impossible to put down. The reader can sense her feelings of fear for
herself, her growing pity for the Native Americans, and her pleasure and
affection for her horse and the other members of her troop, who are all black
and freed slaves. There is also a sense of her growing belief that nothing will
ever change and that the freedom that all slaves dream about is just a word
meaning absolutely nothing. I would very strongly recommend this book.

Patricia Thompson

The Convent

Written by Maureen McCarthy

Allen & Unwin£11.99

ISBN: 978-1743361184

The huge Abbotsford Convent
community, where a closed order of nuns runs a school, an orphanage and one of
the now notorious Magdalene Laundries, touched the lives of four generations of
women in the same family. Sadie has her young daughter, Ellen, taken from her
when, without any warning or court involvement, she is declared to be an unfit
mother. Ellen grows up in the convent and eventually marries and has a daughter
of her own, Cecilia. While Cecilia willingly enters the order as a nun, she
leaves the order and gives birth to an illegitimate daughter, whom she gives up
for adoption. Peach, the last link in the family chain, has a student job at
the café – in the now-converted Convent building. The nuns have long gone but
the memories remain. The stories of the four young women play out and
intertwine in an absorbing, convincing portrayal of the journey each of them
must make as she struggles to escape from her past. It is a poignant read, all
the more so for being based on Maureen McCarthy’s own family history.

Yvonne Coppard

Killing Sound

Written by Paul Southern

Chicken House (eB)£7.99

ISBN: 978-1909489080

This is the story of Jodie, who
at the age of three years witnessed the terrible scene of her parents’ murder.
She has suppressed the memory for years, but now something has awoken the past.
In this horrifying story of the paranormal, Jodie and her friends confront a terrifying
enemy, unleashing monstrous forces with disastrous consequences. The story
unfolds slowly as Jodie first finds, and then tries to experiment with, her
scientist father’s old equipment. He was in the process of testing his theories
to explain the paranormal with ultrasound, working in the bowels of the London
underground. But his work was cut short by a ghastly explosion and double
murder. This is an exciting story, with a strong plot, as we can believe in
Jodie and her motivation for seeking the truth. As the plot becomes
increasingly violent we begin to suspect that Jodie may, unwittingly, be part
of the problem. The final episode is disturbing and leaves a familiar question
to be answered – should teenage horror novels steer towards a happy or at least
hopeful ending, or not? Not recommended for the faint-hearted!

Liz Dubber

Titles for More Mature readers

Out of Control

Written by Sarah Alderson

Simon & Schuster (eB)£6.99

ISBN: 978-1471115752

Liva, who has recently moved to
New York to start a new life, is with the police giving a statement for a crime
she has witnessed. Whilst there, she meets Jay, who has been arrested for car
theft. Armed men break into the police station killing as they go, but,
together, Jay and Liva manage to escape. Liva gradually comes to realise that
she is the target and not just a witness. This book is exciting, fast paced and
a real page-turner. The tension is palpable and the chase through the streets
and subways of New York is like watching a film. There are unexpected twists to
the story and a teenage romance which all adds to its appeal.

Ingrid
Fox

Adaptation

Written by Malinda Lo

Hodder (eB)£6.99

ISBN: 978-1444917949

Malinda Lo skilfully intertwines
sci-fi and romance in this, her new teen novel. Across North America flocks of
birds are flying into planes, killing thousands in the resultant crashes.
Fearing terrorism, the US government cancels all flights. Reese and David are
stranded in Arizona following a debating competition, and on their drive home
to San Francisco a bird crashes into their windscreen causing their car to flip
over. When they awake twenty-seven days later in a military hospital, no one
will tell them where they are or what has happened to them. All the two know is
that they are subtly different from before the crash. Adaptation is perfect for fans of The X-Files. Lo has gathered all the key features to enthral young
teens in a love triangle between Reese, David and the mysterious Amber,
thrilling conspiracy theories and aliens. The main characters are well depicted
in shy Reese, wary of romance due to her parents’ failed marriage, and geeky
best friend Julian, thrilled by Reese’s extra-terrestrial adventures. While
waiting for the sequel, Inheritance, fans
can enjoy the accompanying eBook novella
Natural Selection.